Enduring Power of Attorney

A power of attorney is a formal document giving another person the authority to make legally binding decisions on your behalf.

There are two types of power of attorney: general power of attorney and enduring power of attorney.

Find out more about power of attorney.

General power of attorney

You would use a general power of attorney to appoint someone to make financial decisions on your behalf for a specific period or event, such as if you’re going overseas and need someone to sell your house or pay your bills. It’s used while you can still make your own decisions and ends once you no longer can (i.e. you lose capacity).

Download the General Power of Attorney form.

Enduring power of attorney

You would use an enduring power of attorney to appoint someone to make financial and personal decisions on your behalf if you become unable to make your own decisions, e.g. if you have failing cognitive health or lose capacity to make decisions.

The Public Guardian can be appointed to make decisions on your behalf under an enduring power of attorney.

Enduring Power of Attorney Forms

Short form

Use the short form if you wish to appoint the same attorney/s for both financial matters and personal matters (including health care). You may also use it to appoint an attorney (or attorneys) for financial matters onlyor for personal matters (including health care) only.

Long form

Use the long form if you wish to appoint an attorney/s for personal matters (including health care) and a different attorney/s for financial matters. If you wish to appoint the same attorney/s for both personal/health and financial matters, you use the short form.

Revocation form

Use the revocation form if you would like to revoke an enduring power of attorney.